Air extractor for pumps



. July 1, 1930. u. E. cooNs `AIR EXTRACTOR FOR PUMPS Filed Jan. 19. 192e pumping air adapted'to absorb shocks and Patented. July 1,` 1930 AUNiIi-:n STATES PATENT oFFicE UZAI. n cooNs, or cHIcAGoQIIiIiINoIs, AssIGNon or ONE-Ramiro CARI. J. xonrirn,

or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AIR Exrnoron iron PUMPS The invention relates to pumps and more particularly it relatesl to apparatus Jfor pumping liquids and which apparatus is equipped with a pressure equalizingchamber. Such `a pressure equalizing chamber is usually connected with a discharge-valve chamber, which forms a part of the pumping apparatus, and provides a cushion of to equalize pressure during the forward strokes` of the pump piston. j n j In practice itis found thatjair accumu lates in the 'equalizing chamber,` as the process continues, as a result of its being impossible to make, Vthe valves air tight. They liquid being pumped usually contains some air vdisseminated through it which, vby reasonl of thepressure to which it is subjectedl duringthe pumping' process, is forcedout in small bubblesk and also adds an accretionV to the' air contained vin the equalizing chamber. These' accretions of air, thus added to the initial supply contained in the pressure equalizing chamber,

in duecourse lill thepressure chamber with air. Further pumpingc'auses the air, thus trapped', to gather in the discharge-valve chamber, thereby producing a condition which is commonly spoken of as the pump being air-bound. The pump is said to be ainbo'und when this' accumulationy of trapped airin the valve chamber becomes of sullicient volume that the forward' stroke of the pumppiston' no longer Jforces liquid through the outlet valve of thedischargevalve chamber. Force pumps constructed to discharge liquids will network against air so that the outlet valve of the valve chamber discharge-valve valve or similar means provided for this purpose. The efficiency of the pump is necessarily diminished inthe intervals between thus releasing the accumulated air besides requiring close attention by the operator of the pump and it is one of the objects of the invention to provide means which automatically maintains any quantity of air, which cuni'ulations.

Another object is to provide means which is adjustable to vary the amount of air automatically maintained in the pressureequalizing chamber in accordance with pre-deter mined estimates of the amount necessary for eiiicient pumping under different conditions,

Still another object is to generaly improve pressure chamber apparatus of the class described. Y

VViththe above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the typicaldetails of construction and in the arrangement, of

j vauniliary chamber, drawn to a larger scale. will not open when the pump lpistonfworks n* v Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the pressure conduit 14 is shown as threaded into an opening in a cover 15 which forms the top of the `chamber 11. The pressure equalizing `chamber 10 is .fastened to the cover 15 by 'has been previously determined as desirable, i andk automatically releasing any excess acconnected at their top portions and theirA bottom portions are connected through the valve chamber 11 by the conduits 12 and 14, it is obvious that the pressure of the trapped air Will be the same in the two chambers and l that the Water will be maintained at the 'same level therein. This arrangement of the main chamber 1() and of the auxiliary chamber 13 is equally adapted for connection with valve chambers in horizontal pump lines and in verticalpump lines.

The auxiliary chamber 13 contains a float 23 which is actuated by the liquid contained in the chamber. For this purpose a vent valve is mounted in the wall of the cham'- ber 13. The vent valve comprises among other elements, a plunger 24 which is actuated by the float 23. The plunger 24 is con-v nected with ther float 23 by a pivotally mounted arm 25 which has a pivoted connection with an upwardly projecting stem 26. The plunger 24 is reciprocally movable in a member 27 in which the plunger is mounted. The member 27 ismounted in the wall of the chamber 13 and is provided with abore 28. vThe bore 28 has a diameter in excess of the diameter of the plunger 24 exceptat the outer end of the member 27 the diameter is smaller than that of the plunger. The contracted portion of the bore 28 has a tapered connection with the enlarged portion, thereby forming a beveled seat` 29 for the plunger 24. kThe Vend of the plunger 24 is beveled to t the seat 29 and form a fluid tight connection therewith when the float 23 is in the position shown.

When the liquid to be pumped is at or above the level shown in Figure 2 the vent valve remains closed to the passage of air. Upon the liquid dropping vbelow theV level shown, the float will descend and open the valve by unseating the plunger 24, thereby permitting air to pass around the plunger and escape through the contracted portion ofthe bore 28. If an excess of air is trapped in the chambers 10 and 13, the water will fall below the predetermined elevation shown in Figure 2 and the vent valve will automatically open, thereby permitting air to escape and the water, or other liquid being pumped, to return to the elevation shown.

Provision is made for varying the premay vary the details of construction and arrangement kof part-s without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features, except as may be required by the claims. n

Thus it willbe seen that I have provided a device which effectively and automatically operates to extract surplus air from an air equalizing chamber of the class described. While the device is shownas used in connection with a piston pump it is equally adapted for use with pressure equalizing chambers for centrifugal and other types of pumps.

I claim: 1. The combination with the discharge chamber of a liquid pump, of a pair of equalizing chambers-arranged in horizontal rela-V tion, conduits separately connecting the lower portions of the equalizing ,chambers with 'the discharge chamber, vanother conduit connecting the upper Y ends of the equalizing chambers, and fioat mechanism positioned in one of the equalizing chambers, said mechanism being operable, by Va slight lowering of the normal water level of said equalizing chambers, to open the equalizing chambers to atmosphere pressure.

2. The combination with the discharge chamber of a liquid pump, of a pair of equalizing chambers arranged infhorizontal relation, conduits separately connecting the lower portions of the equalizing chambers with the discharge chamber, another conduit connect-ing the upper ends of said equalizing chambers, one of the equalizing chambers having a vent connecting said equalizing chambers with the atmosphere, andy float mechanism operable to close the vent at a predetermined common liquid level in the equalizing chambers andy to open the vent upon a slight loweringr of ysaid liquid level.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

y UZAL E. COONS.

Cil 

